Cavett began his career as a writer for Jack Paar, Merv Griffin,Jerry Lewis, and Johnny Carson. His series of talk-shows began with The Dick Cavett Show (1969–74) for ABC and his show has run in various incarnations on different networks ever since: CBS, 1975: PBS, 1977–82; USA, 1985–86; ABC, 1986–87; CNBC, 1989–present. Cavett has been nominated for eleven Emmys and has won three. He has also appeared in such movies as Annie Hall (1977) and Forrest Gump (1994).